Hala Badri explores Hatta’s cultural development
In line with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority’s vision to support Hatta’s comprehensive development plan, which was launched in 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, visited Hatta to explore prospects for its cultural development.
Commenting on the visit, Hala Badri said, “This visit comes as part of the Authority’s efforts to promote Hatta’s local culture, in line with the tourism pillar of the ambitious development plan launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in 2016 that seeks to comprehensively develop Hatta. We seek to explore the best and most effective means to enhance Hatta’s presence at the local and global levels as well as to create new forums that would meet the cultural development trends of Hatta’s society.”
She explained, “Our efforts would enhance Hatta’s cultural tourism and contribute to positioning the area on the regional and global cultural tourism map, strengthening, as a result, the emirate’s cultural scene, in line with the sectoral pillars of the Authority’s strategic road map that seek to consolidate Dubai’s cultural footprint on the global stage.”
During the tour, Badri visited some of the most prominent archaeological and heritage sites and monuments in the Hatta region. This tour included the Hatta Heritage Village, which represents a window into Hatta’s history. The village was recently annexed under Dubai Culture’s umbrella.
She also visited the Hatta dam on the site of a lake that represents a popular destination among kayaking enthusiasts. She praised the ‘Hatta Kayak’ project, the success story of entrepreneurs Khalfan and Ahmed Al-Badwawi, who were able to turn challenges into opportunities and attract tourists to Hatta from all over the world.
Badri continued her tour with a visit to the Hatta Honey Bee Discovery Centre where she emphasised that this centre is yet another success story for the youth of Hatta that validates their importance in the development of the area. Emirati Manea Al Kaabi established a species of queen bees through hybridisation that would withstand the UAE’s climate.
The Director-General also visited Hatta’s ancient tombs, many of which had been restored.
Hala Badri also held a session with Hatta representatives and discussed with them ways to activate the area on the cultural and creative level.
The session also touched on Hatta’s development needs from an infrastructure and service sector perspective that would also contribute to creating opportunities for promising talents in the area’s cultural and creative community.
Badri underlined the importance of the meeting’s outcomes, saying, “We will work to develop a comprehensive vision and plan of action through which we would define the next steps and mechanisms for implementing joint programmes in cooperation with our partners from other concerned government entities.”
WAM
